Lifesaving device for submarines



Aug. 15, 1939.

J. E. CLANTON LIFESAVING DEVICE FOR SUBMARINES' Filed Aug. 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet'1 Jmasfldlanion ATTORNEY? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. E. CLANTON LIFESAVING DEVICE FOR SUBMARINES Filed Aug. 26, 1937 Aug. 15, 1939.

Jamasli'. OZantow INVENTOR I BY I ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The invention relates to a life saving device for submarines and more especially to a safety escape attachment for submarines or the like.

'Ihe primary object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, wherein the crew of men within a submarine when the latter becomes disabled after sinking within a body of water can be readily let out from the said submarine without liability of the flooding of the it? latter and in this way the crew can become freed and at the same time leaves the submarine watertight thus the submarine, after the men have left the same, may be brought to the surface of the water Without being flooded and the exact cause of disablement may be determined easily and necessary repairs made.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, wherein the construction thereof is novel in its entirety and 20 is automatic in the working thereof so that a trapped crew within a submarine can be readily freed or make escape therefrom particularly when the vessel is beneath the water level or not afloat.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character, which is simple in construction, throughly reliable and effective in operation, assuring safety to a prisoned crew of a submarine, automatically operative, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be 35 hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred and modified forms of embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a submarine.

showing the device constructed in accordance with the invention and applied Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan View thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view showing the device in normal closed position.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the device open for the escape of a crew from a submarine.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view showing in detail the driving connections between a motor and adjuncts thereof.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the device showing a slight modification.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates generally a submarine being equipped as such and rising from the hull l0 thereof fore of the same is a columnar vertically disposed body ll forming a hatch way and open at its top while hinged exteriorly to this body H is an upwardly arched cover or closure [2, the hinge being indicated at l3, so that said closure will swing vertically in the opening and closing movements thereof. Leading from the interior of the hull ID to a hatch opening I4 therein which establishes communication between the hull and the said body H is a ladder l5, the opening I4 being closed by a vertically swinging hatch door l6 adapted to be manually raised and lowered for the opening and closing movements thereof. Acoess may be had to the interior of the hull H] or an exit therefrom through the opening I4 on the opening of the hatch door l6 in that the crew can enter through the hatch way effected by the body II or make an exit therefrom through the open top of said body H.

Rotatably supported within the hull I0 is a Windlass I! which through gearing connections I8 is operated by an electric motor l9 and this motor is included in an electric circuit which also has arranged therein a storage battery 2 I, the latter being confined within the hull. Located within the body II is an electric light 22 which is included in a circuit 23 between it and the battery 2| while arranged in this circuit 23 and located in the body I I is a hand s'witch24 so that the light can be turned on and off at will within said body I l.

Properly arranged exteriorly of the hull l0 close to the body II is a standard 25 having at its upper end a pulley wheel 26 for a raising and lowering chain 21, it being connected to the closure I 2 and is adapted for winding and unwinding on and from the Windlass l1, being connected thereto in any suitable manner. This chain has interposed therein a straight guiding section 28 which operates through a suitable packing gland built with the hull ll] of the submarine A.

In the circuit 20 are the swinging arms 29 and 30, respectively, of an opening and closing switch, the arm 30 being operated from a depressible pedal 3| while the arm 29 is operated by a connecting chain 32 with the chain 21. The arm 29 of the switch is normally held in a substantially horizonal position by a spring 33 and in this position the arm 30 of the said switch is sumciently elevated for the holding of the switch in open position. The arms 29 and 39 of the switch, which is of the double acting type, cooperate with an interposed stationary contact. Now when the closure I2 is in closed position and an operator Within the body I I depresses the pedal 3|, the arm 30 is caused to make contact with the arm 29 and thus close the circuit 20 to the motor I9, the circuit being normally open. On the closing of the said circuit, the motor I9 is started operating the Windlass l1 and through the chain 21 the closure I2 is opened. When the chain 21 has been wound sufficiently on the Windlass II tov pull upon the chain 32, the switch arm 29 will be shifted out of contact with the arm 30 and thus this switch in the circuit 20 opened and similarly opening the said circuit which stops the motor.

The trap door I6 is equipped with a sealing gasket 34 and similarly the body II is equipped with a sealing gasket 35 so that when the closure I2 is in closing position a water-tight joint is assured to avoid any possibility of leakage of water into. the columnar body II. Similarly when the door I6 is closed any water contained within the body II can not gain entrance to the hull ID of the submarine.

When the submarine is submerged in a body of water and becomes disabled, being necessary that the crew make an escape therefrom, the said crew leaves the hull II] by way of the ladder I5 and enters the body II, the hatch door I6 being for this purpose. On entering the body II the hatch door I6 is closed sealing the opening l4 and the light 22 is turned on by closing the switch 24, it being understood, of course, that the closure I2 is in closed position. Now an operator depresses the pedal 3| closing the switch including the arms 29 and 30 and the motor I9 starts causing the winding of the chain 21 on the Windlass I'I thus opening the closure l2 so that the crew within the body I I can make an exit through the open top thereof.

In Figure 6 of the drawings there is shown a slight modification, wherein the closure 36, which is similar to the closure [2, has associated therewith a wire net apron 31 which forms a water guard on initial opening of the closure 36 to avoid injury to the occupants of the body II through inrush of water at the moment of the opening of the closure 36 and in this manner the said apron 31 is a protector against the force of the water at the time of initially opening the closure.

The instant that the closure I2 is opened, the switch having the arms 29 and 30 is opened automatically and in this manner the motor I9 is stopped.

The closure l2 when in closing position is suitably boited as at 38 to secure the same in its closing position, these bolts being readily removed when it is desired that the closure l2 be opened.

What is claimed is:

A life saving device for a submarine having a hull provided with a closable top hole, comprising a columnar body rising vertically from said hull for forming a hatch way to said hole, a hinged cover to said columnar body for opening and closing movements, a power unit interiorly of the hull, an electric switch having operating means accessible within the hatch way, an electric circuit having the power unit and switch arranged therein, a packing gland built with the hull at the top thereof, a movable counterweight element slidably fitting the gland for extension without and within tLe hull, flexible connections between the power unit and the cover, respectively, and a guide fixed cxteriorly of the hull at the top thereof and extended upwardly beyond the path of swing of the said cover and having the flexible connection between said element and said cover movable thereover.

JAMES E. CLANTON. 

